


Luck Be a Laddie Tonight

by merry_amelie



Series: Academic Arcadia [226]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: Alternate Reality, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 12:39:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4607118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merry_amelie/pseuds/merry_amelie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You will see two guys reach for stars in the sky."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Luck Be a Laddie Tonight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EmilaWanKenobi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmilaWanKenobi/gifts).



> Feedback: Is treasured at merryamelie@aol.com (or leave a comment).
> 
> Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
> 
> For  
> My beta team: Emila-Wan and Carol  
> Mali Wane for posting to the Master Apprentice ML  
> Travis for posting to the Master Apprentice Archive on AO3  
> Alex for inspiring Arcadia
> 
> References:  
> [Guys and Dolls - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guys_and_Dolls)  
> [Sky Masterson - Guys and Dolls Wiki](http://guysanddolls.wikia.com/wiki/Sky_Masterson)  
> [Luck Be a Lady - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luck_Be_a_Lady)  
> [Frank Loesser - Luck Be A Lady lyrics](http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/f/frank_loesser/luck_be_a_lady_lyrics.html)  
> [Guys And Dolls soundtrack lyrics: 19 song lyrics](http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/guys_and_dolls_soundtrack)  
> [Nathan Lane - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane)  
> [Amadeus - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeus)
> 
> To Mali and Emila

  
  
[Sue](mailto:suechosethis@gmail.com)'s magnificent manip  


Ian and Quinn were dressed to the nines when they arrived at their office in Taton Hall on a Saturday evening in mid-August.

Ian wore a dapper ice-blue suit, complete with matching shirt and tie, which he had worn to their rehearsal dinner in Massachusetts ten years earlier. Thanks to his aikido and gymnastics routines, it still fit him like a glove...

...which his husband noticed with stars in his eyes. Quinn was wearing a chocolate-brown suit, the same hue as the cloak he wore over his gi when he and Ian went to the dojo.

When Ian looked over at him, he saw pure Jedi Master.

It was almost 8 o'clock, and their parents were going to meet them there in a few minutes. Then, all six of them would attend a charity performance of 'Guys and Dolls' at the theater in the Luke Student Center. Afterwards, the professors planned to take their folks out to dinner at a new little Italian place they'd discovered in nearby Danton.

As he pulled the blinds shut, Quinn noted that the sky was finally darkening towards sunset; the sky had still been blue when they had walked inside. Luckily, they'd only lost about half an hour of light in the evening so far, since the longest day of the year.

Because it was a weekend night, they felt more comfortable than usual easing into an embrace, once the door was securely locked. Of course, their parents had seen them kiss and hug on occasions big and small, but Ian and Quinn still loved their privacy.

And Ian decided to take advantage of it; he gave Quinn a kiss that was sweeter than the ripe peaches they'd eaten before leaving home, which his herven returned enthusiastically. The light fabric of their jackets rubbed sensuously together as they snuggled into each other.

Ian's bright eyes beamed up at Quinn. "I'm looking forward to seeing 'Guys and Dolls' tonight."

"Me, too." Quinn ran his fingers through Ian's copper hair. "Didn't you tell me years ago that you were in a student production at Georgeton?"

Ian nodded. "What a masterful memory! All but eidetic. Goes along with all of your other Jedi skills."

Quinn chuckled in self-deprecation. "The way you tell it, I should be on the Jedi Council." He added a snort, for good measure.

Ian laughed along with his husband. "Y'know, I think my mom took some snapshots of the play."

"Id love to see my very own leading man." Quinn kissed him tenderly. "And just look at how you've grown into the role. Your character's first name was Sky, and now you're a Skyhawk, and his last name was Masterson. Say no more."

Ian winked. "So I've really been a part of your family for decades now."

"Exactly!" Quinn crowed, as Ian danced him in a box-step around the center of their office.

Quinn started to sing, improvising a couple of changes in the lyrics:

"Luck be a laddie tonight  
Luck be a laddie tonight  
Luck 'since you've always been my laddie' to begin with  
Luck be a laddie tonight."

"Oh, Quinn," Ian said with stars in his eyes, just as his husband had earlier, "I like it even better than the original."

Quinn's blue eyes danced with delight. "When we get home, I'll serenade you properly with the guitar."

"How can a student play compete with that?" said Ian.

Quinn rested his chin on Ian's soft copper spikes. "Y'know, Sky's quite an unusual first name."

Laughter shone in Ian's eyes. "You wouldn't believe Sky's given name in a million lightyears."

"Not Ian, I guess?" Quinn answered.

"Try 'Obediah'!" Ian snorted.

"As in 'Obi' for short?" Quinn chortled. "Oh, I don't believe it!"

Ian said, "It's true, although I can see why you're scoffing."

Quinn smiled. "So let me get this straight -- your character's name was really Obediah Masterson?"

Ian nodded. "You just can't make this stuff up!"

And on that hilarious note, Quinn continued his impromptu serenade, as well as the dance. Ian could tell his herven was an English professor by the effortless way he kept on adapting the lyrics:

"Luck let a gentleman see  
How nice a 'lad' you can be  
Luck be a laddie with me."

Quinn put a proper period on the verse with another kiss. Then Ian adjusted Quinn's jacket to perfection, since their dancing had left it slightly askew.

"I'm enjoying the play already," Ian teased. "You sing better than any of the kids will, I bet."

"Ah, those are the ears of love, lad." Quinn smiled at his husband indulgently.

A knock at the door interrupted their banter. Both sets of parents arrived together, since Jo and Keith had picked up Quinn's folks on their way there. Hugs, kisses, and chitchat for a few minutes, then they all headed over to the theater in the LSC and got there about five minutes before the lights went down. They had prime seats right in the center of the orchestra section, because they were all season-ticket holders. Ian and Quinn were bracketed by the older couples, and just after the curtain rose, Quinn remembered to slouch down in his seat for the benefit of the lady behind him.

Quinn knew that his lad was having a good time when he looked over to see Ian mouthing the words to one of his favorite songs:

"I got the horse right here  
The name is Paul Revere  
And here's a guy that says that the weather's clear  
Can do, can do, this guy says the horse can do."

Ian could have played the role of Nicely Nicely quite nicely, thought Quinn as he grinned crookedly. He grabbed Ian's hand in pure contentment. By the time they got to 'Luck Be a Lady', Quinn had forgotten the original lyrics in favor of his own.

Ian humored him by whispering in his ear: "Remember, I like your version better."

When the musical finally ended, with its signature title song:

"When you see a guy reach for stars in the sky  
You can bet that he's doing it for some doll,"

the six of them ambled out into the warm August night, still humming their favorites. They walked to the Taton parking lot, where Quinn and Ian took the Gallia, and their folks got into the Prentices' Audi Q8. Ian led the way to the restaurant, Arissi's Table in Danton, about five minutes from Luke. They parallel-parked a couple of blocks from Arissi's, since it was Saturday night, and all of the prime spots were taken. The couples strolled to the ristorante together, glad of the additional walk after sitting in the theater for almost two hours.

At least Ian had made reservations for their party; without them, it looked to be at least a half an hour wait. The hostess showed them to a corner table by a stone fountain of Venus, with the Mastersons to the right of their sons and the Prentices to the left of them. The splashing water made a nice backdrop for their conversation. First, they got their orders out of the way, with Ian and John going for Sirloin Saltimbocca; Quinn and Ginny having eggplant parmesan; Jo getting shrimp in pesto sauce; and Keith deciding on gnocchi Marsala.

Their waiter brought out glasses of water and a mouth-watering loaf of crusty herbed bread and olive oil for dipping. The stage was set again, this time for their conversation.

"Loved the show tonight," John said as he reached for his glass.

Keith nodded. "A lot of fun."

"I really liked the kid who played Nathan Detroit," said Jo.

Ian said, "He was very good. You know that Nathan Lane is one of my favorite actors?" Everyone nodded, remembering how many times he and Quinn had seen both movie versions of 'The Producers'. Max Bialystock was one of Lane's signature roles. "Well, he actually took his professional first name from his role as Nathan Detroit."

"A perfect fit for him," Ginny said.

Jo said, "I know I'm your mother, dear, but I have to say that you did a better job as Sky Masterson than the kid we saw today."

Ian grinned at his mom but was too diplomatic to either agree or argue with her.

"And that makes you more of a Masterson than ever, as well as a Prentice, of course," John said, just as much of a diplomat as his son-in-law. He, of course, had picked up on the coincidence instantly, just as his son had done earlier that evening.

Everybody smiled, and their entrees arrived at the perfect time.

"Jo, do you still have photos of Ian as Sky? I'd love to see them," Quinn said.

"I think they're in the basement in an old tin," said Jo, spearing a shrimp from her plate. "I'll go through them tomorrow and send you copies of anything I find."

Quinn said, "That would be a kindness." He ate a bite of spaghetti. "My lad has always looked good in a suit," he said, winking as he looked over at Ian, resplendent in his blue suit, which coincidentally had pinstripes, just like Sky's.

Ian chuckled. "You two," he said, grinning at Jo and Quinn, "are going to give me such a big head that I won't be able to fit into Sky's fedora anymore."

"And I won't be able to fit in my pants after this meal," John said, holding up his fork and looking accusingly at an innocent piece of beef.

"But we haven't even had our dessert yet," Ginny teased her husband.

Keith picked up a small placard with the liqueur and dessert menu at the center of the table. "Forget the calories, John. They've got tiramisu," he said, knowing that this was one of John's favorites.

"Okay, I'm in," John said with a laugh.

"And I'll share with you," said Ginny. "Then it'll only be half as much for each of us."

When everyone had finished eating, the waiter came by to take their plates, then take their dessert orders. Besides the tiramisu for Quinn's folks, Keith asked for a cup of spumoni; Ian and Quinn decided to split a slice of Italian rum cake; and Jo ordered tortoni. While they waited for the treats, their chitchat started up again.

Jo asked, "Does anyone know the first play scheduled for the fall?"

"I think it's 'Amadeus', Mom." Ian answered. "I'll check when we get home and send you all an e-mail."

Ginny said, "Now I'm even happier that we renewed our subscription." She sipped her water. "Quinn, your father and I saw the original production on Broadway when you were only nine years old."

"Oh, that must have been grand," Quinn said.

"It was, my boy," John said. "Just the music alone was sublime."

Their waiter brought over a tray with their desserts; every one came with a dollop of vanilla-bean whipped cream.

After a pause to taste her first spoonful of tiramisu, Ginny continued the conversation about 'Amadeus'. "Ian McKellen, another of your and Ian's favorites, played Salieri, and he couldn't have been better."

"And don't forget Tim Curry as Mozart -- he almost stole the show," John added.

"He's stolen everything I've ever seen him in," said Ian, delicious memories running through his mind. He used to go to the midnight screenings of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' on M Street in Washington, D.C. during his Georgeton days. He'd actually played Eddie, the Meatloaf role, in the fan sing-along, complete with his friend Ben's borrowed motorcycle.

They ate their desserts in a desultory way, no one in any rush for the party to be over. Finally, John unobtrusively paid the bill and they headed out into the beautiful summer night.

Ian and Quinn said their goodbyes under the awning of the restaurant, then the couples walked to their cars. Once they were inside the Gallia, with no one in sight outdoors, Quinn reached over from the passenger side for a rum-flavored kiss.

"Ah, lad, 'twas a fine night with our folks," said Quinn. "I'm so glad you convinced me to start this theatrical tradition, all those years ago."

"So glad you enjoyed it, ma gradh." It was Ian's turn to steal a kiss, then he started to sing, as he looked over Quinn's shoulder, up at the coruscating night sky:

"When you see a guy reach for stars in the sky..."

And Quinn hummed to himself in delight:

"Hope I get lucky with my laddie tonight."


End file.
